Transparent carbon nanotube electrode with net-like carbon nanotube film and preparation method thereof

Abstract

Provided is a transparent carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode comprising a net-like (i.e., net-shaped) CNT thin film and a method for preparing the same. More specifically, a transparent CNT electrode comprises a transparent substrate and a net-shaped CNT thin film formed on the transparent substrate, and a method for preparing a transparent CNT electrode, comprising forming a thin film using particulate materials and CNTs, and then removing the particulate materials to form a net-shaped CNT thin film. The transparent CNT electrode exhibits excellent electrical conductivity while maintaining high light transmittance. Therefore, the transparent CNT electrode can be widely used to fabricate a variety of electronic devices, including image sensors, solar cells, liquid crystal displays, organic electroluminescence (EL) displays, and touch screen panels, that have need of electrodes possessing both light transmission properties and conductive properties.

1. A transparent carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode, comprising:
 a transparent substrate; and 
 a CNT film having a net-shaped structure formed on a surface of the transparent substrate, 
 wherein the net-shaped CNT film comprises a network of interconnected CNTs surrounding spaces previously occupied by a particulate material having a particle size of 50 nanometers to 10 micrometers. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the particulate material comprises nanoparticles. 
     
     
       3. The electrode according to  claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticles are metal nanoparticles. 
     
     
       4. The electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the transparent substrate is a transparent inorganic substrate selected from a glass substrate or a quartz substrate, or wherein the substrate is a flexible transparent substrate made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene sulfone, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyester, polyimide, polyetheretherketone, polyetherimide, acrylic resins, olefin-maleimide copolymers, and norbornene resins. 
     
     
       5. The electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the CNTs are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, rope carbon nanotubes, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The electrode according to  claim 5 , wherein the single-walled carbon nanotubes are metallic carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
       7. The electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the net-shaped CNT film further includes a dispersant. 
     
     
       8. The electrode according to  claim 7 , wherein the dispersant is a conductive dispersant. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device comprising the transparent CNT electrode of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of image sensors, solar cells, liquid crystal displays, organic electroluminescence (EL) displays, and touch screen panels.